Is natural best? Find out why in the Greenpeace Truefood Guide
Tricia Brown
Organic vegetables - Victorian Farmers' Markets [©VFMA]
Confused by conflicting information on the pros and cons of genetically engineered food? Do we really know what we are eating and what the long term health effects may be?
Did you know that currently in Australia, most food likely to contain GE ingredients is not labelled? Australia is one of only a handful of countries worldwide that commercially grow GE crops. As well, under current Australian labelling laws, meat, milk and eggs derived from animals fed on GE crops, don't have to be labelled.
What is genetic engineering?
GE allows scientists to move genes between different species. Using various laboratory techniques, scientists can create life forms that could not occur naturally. Genetic engineers use viruses, bacteria and a device called "gene gun" to randomly move genes from one organism into another. These techniques are used to make crop plants grow differently. Genetic engineering is often described as a form of biotechnology. However, biotechnology is a term that also encompasses a wide range of traditional practices such as cheese-making and brewing - practices that are not in any way like genetic engineering.
Truefood Guide
The Greenpeace Truefood Guide rates food brands and products as Green (GE-free) or Red (may contain GE ingredients). Green brands and products in the green section have policies and procedures throughout their supply chain to actively avoid ingredients derived from GE crops. Some GE free brands (Green) include ALDI exclusive brands, Arnott's, Dick Smith Foods, Heinz, Helga's Bread, Kellogg's, King Island Dairy, Milawa Free Range, Nudie, Pura Milk, Streets, Vogel's, Weet Bix, White Wings, Yoplait, San Remo, Fruche, Tetley, V8 and Coles housebrands,.
Labelling for GE foods
While in Europe and elsewhere, concerns have lead to more stringent labelling laws, in Australia, oils, highly processed foods and products derived from livestock fed GE feed are not required to be labelled. GE ingredients appear as hidden ingredients in processed foods and in the meat, eggs and milk produced from animals fed on GE grains. Under Australian labelling laws, only foods where GE proteins can be detected need to be labelled.
Some countries are banning GE food outright. Australia is one of only a few regulators in the world to have approved every single application it has received for GE food products. This is despite polls finding a majority of Australians are less likely to buy food they knew to contain GE ingredients and some 90% in favour of labelling of GE food. More than 180 of Australia's leading chefs have signed up to Greenpeace's chef's charter calling for a GE-free Australia and comprehensive labelling of GE food. Signatories include Bill Granger, Margaret Fulton and Kylie Kwong.
Troy and Tony Kalleske of Kalleske Wines in South Australia (Barossa Winemaker of the Year 2008) are among the many to speak out in support of being GE free. "At Kalleske, we enthusiastically endorse the GM Free Chefs Charter and encourage everyone to support and consume food and drink that is genuine, natural and organic providing not only health benefits to the consumer but essential protection to our precious and fragile environment."
"If GM products are a reality, then we at least have the right to know exactly what we are eating," says chef Tobie Puttock. A thought echoed by chef Stephanie Alexander, who says, "I'm concerned that the next generation of environmentally aware consumers may not be able to enjoy GM-free food in the future."
Health concerns
Independent safety testing on the health impacts of food derived from GE crops is remarkably limited. We simply don't know if GE food is safe to eat because there have been no long-term studies looking at the impacts of GE food on human health. The short story is as Scientist Judy Carman explains: "Without full animal testing, we don't even know which diseases to look for in people." Without a system in place to determine the impact on our health of the GE foods that we already eat, it could take decades, or even generations, to detect unintended or unexpected consequences from eating GE foods.
How to avoid GE food
- Check out the Truefood Guide or order your free hardcopy online.
- Buy organic which bans any use of GE organisms
- Go natural - fresh vegetables in Australia should be GE free
Greenpeace Press Release, October 2009 - On the 28th October leading brands Nestlé, Foster's, Schweppes and Lindt committed to keeping their food and drinks free from genetically engineered (GE) ingredients, it was announced at the 2010 Greenpeace Truefood Guide launch held at leading Sydney restaurant Longrain. The 2010 Guide launched by celebrated chefs Martin Boetz and Margaret Fulton and Clover Moore MP, Lord Mayor of Sydney, was part of the Sydney International Food Festival. "The 2010 Truefood Guide is the biggest guide ever, as the Australian food industry answers consumer calls for GE-free food," Greenpeace GE Campaigner Rochelle Porteous said. "It is the only comprehensive shopping guide that empowers Australians to avoid GE ingredients."
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